The WIR soldiers became a valued part of the British forces garrisoning the West Indies, where losses from disease and climate were heavy amongst white troops.

Three companies of the First WIR repulsed a French attempt to recapture the island of Marie-Galante in August–September 1808, together with members of the first Corps of Colonial Marines recruited from local fugitive slaves.

[9] The Regiments were later involved in the War of 1812, both on the Atlantic coast and in the Gulf of Mexico, taking part in the British attack on New Orleans.

[12] Both the 1st and 2nd West India Regiments served under the command of Sir Garnet Wolseley during this campaign, acquitting themselves well in difficult conditions.

The Army and Trinidad Militia quickly suppressed the mutiny, killing twelve mutineers; six others committed suicide to avoid capture.

Enlistment for the West India Regiment during this period involved a commitment for twelve years of full-time service.

A detachment of the Regiment's signalers saw service in the German Cameroons, where Private L. Jordon earned a DCM and several other men were mentioned in despatches.

[21] The five hundred and fifteen officers and men of the 2nd Battalion formed part of a column that took Dar es Salaam on 4 September 1916.

After garrison duty, the battalion subsequently played a distinguished part in the Battle of Nyangao (German East Africa) in October 1917.

Following their active service in German Africa the 2nd Battalion of the West India Regiment was shipped to Suez in September 1918.

General Allenby sent the following telegram to the Governor of Jamaica: "I have great pleasure in informing you of the gallant conduct of the machine-gun section of the 1st British West Indies Regiment during two successful raids on the Turkish trenches.

All ranks behaved with great gallantry under heavy rifle and shell fire and contributed in no small measure to the success of the operations".

During the final post-war period only the regimental band served outside Jamaica, attending ceremonial functions in Toronto and London.

[25] The actual disbandment of the reduced West India Regiment took place at the Up Park military camp in Jamaica on 31 January 1927, in a ceremony attended by the Governor and a large crowd.

A smaller event took place two weeks later at Buckingham Palace when eight officers who had served with the WIR handed over the regimental colours to King George V.[26] As the push for a federation of the British West Indies gathered steam in the 1950s, the question of defence was among the issues debated and it was decided to raise the West India Regiment (WIR) once again as the British Caribbean's single significant military unit.

[28] On 15 December 1958, the federal legislature passed the Defence Act, 1958 which gave the legal basis for the formation of the new WIR and detailed its structure and mandate.

[36] The presence of a federal military force in Jamaica presented the Jamaican government with constitutional difficulties regarding the use of WIR troops for internal security operations.

Prevailing social attitudes meant that service with these regiments was not a popular option during much of the nineteenth century and many of the more capable officers saw their time with the WIR as simply a stepping stone to more sought after staff or other assignments.

[39] Private Samuel Hodge of the 2nd WIR was awarded the Victoria Cross in 1866 for courage shown during the capture of Tubab Kolon in the Gambia.

Colonels of the regiment were:[40] For the first half century of its existence the WIR wore the standard uniform (shako, red coat and dark coloured or white trousers) of the British line infantry of the period.

Surprisingly limited use was made of the well trained and long serving regulars of the West India Regiment during World War I.

The similarity of titles has sometimes led to confusion between this war-time unit and the long established West India Regiment.

The regiment played a significant role in the First World War, especially in Palestine and Jordan where they were employed in military operations against the Turkish Army.

Once there, the regiment performed a number of general duties behind the front lines—these included the escort of 4,000 prisoners of war from Italy to Egypt.

The regiment returned to the Caribbean in 1946 to be disbanded, having not seen front line action—this was due to inadequate training and partly because of the political impact in the British West Indies if it had incurred heavy casualties.